Trending Men’s Sunglasses Styles of This Year

We’re out of our cages, and it shows. Most places are open, setting the animals who’ve been locked away for two years loose. Free to roam and mingle again, we celebrate life with style.

Style is not something that one person can change on a whim. It’s a cultural phenomenon that reflects our zeitgeist. We’ve yearned to be free and express ourselves for so long.

Now we can.

There was a time when every man wore black shades. They’re safe. Black goes with everything. If not black, blue-tinted aviators with a steel frame were also a classic.

But that’s not the case anymore. We want to express ourselves. Be loud. We’re emerging from our cocoons to be seen. We’ve spent enough time in the shadows.

Colorful frames and lenses are everywhere this year, and the only way to up your game is to go even bolder.

Some styles are classic to the point of stagnation. They’ve found their shape and are quite happy where they are. No change needed.

Newer styles are still in a state of flux. This is where creativity happens. This is where you get interesting new shapes, color combinations, and fits.

These styles are only for those bold enough to wear them – to be different. The trendsetters and trailblazers. These ain't your grandpa’s shades. They’re yours.

Popular in the ’70s, thick horn-rimmed glasses are back. These aren’t simply shades, they’re statement pieces. The eyes are a mirror of the soul, and these beauties are the ornate frames drawing attention inward.

Bold, loud, and unmistakable.

A staple of ‘50s style sneaks into the list. Perhaps it’s the connection to international men of mystery or the undeniable air of intelligence that comes with wearing them… we don’t know.

Browlines first hit the market during the metal shortages of the ‘50s, when the world was just starting to figure out what to do with this new wonder material – plastic.

Needless to say, modern browlines are updated, upgraded, and up-everything’d compared to their predecessors.

This article started out claiming that established styles don’t innovate. That’s not entirely true. They do… just gradually.

Classic styles are becoming edgier. Square aviators, hexagonal lenses, edges everywhere (except where they touch your face, of course).

Round shades aren’t going through a subtle transformation like the classic styles above, but they are enjoying a noticeable increase in popularity.

Once thought a bit excentric, more men are now finding out they fit their shape quite nicely. Perhaps it’s because the pandemic left most of us with a bit more padding in our cheeks..?

Most traditional sunglasses snap or deform fairly easily.

*Except ours, of course. Ours are solid.

Foldable sunglasses are built to squeeze into your pocket and take quite a lot of outside pressure without damage. They have hinges over the nose and about halfway down their temples. Shorter lever points make them less likely to snap or deform and they’ll only take up as much space as one lens and the frame around it.

No more hanging them from your neckline or accidentally sitting on them. Fold them up, put them in your front pocket, and go about your day. Simple as that. Just be careful around keys…

It’s annoying. You’ve been out all day, you come home, take off your sunglasses, and you have painful red blotches on the bridge of your nose.

Weight matters.

Strong lightweight materials like aluminum and titanium make for some sleek, comfortable sunglasses. Wear them all day long without even noticing they’re there. Worth it.

There was a time when polarization cost an arm and a leg. Thanks to advances in manufacturing technologies and coating techniques, you can enjoy the benefits of polarized sunglasses and still keep all your limbs.

Polarization reduces the glare coming off of objects like water, snow, and polished metal, so if you spend any time outside, you’ll feel the difference. Much less eye strain, much fewer instances of dry eyes, and much greater comfort.

*Note: they may also block the light from the screen on your smartphone... but you spend too much time with that thing anyway. You’re outside. Enjoy the view.

Sunglasses with wooden temples are unique by definition. Each natural wood temple has a distinct pattern of fibers, making yours like none other.

Wood has a higher surface tension than plastic or metal, so they’ll stay in place better than most other sunglasses.

Sustainable, affordable, comfortable, unique… What’s not to love?

For everything about sunglasses, read our ultimate guide to sunglasses here.